Knitting machinery



Jan. 10, 1939. J. MORTON ET AL KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. 21, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 10,1939. J. MORTON m- AL KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. 21, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1-939. 7 J MORTON 5 A KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. '21, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A rroAA/E vs Jan. 10, 1939.

J-. MORTON ET AL KNI TTING MACHINERY 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 21, 1937 S R w w w NW r W 4 w M Mai. f w. w

L 477 ,eA/ng Jan. 10, 1939.

J. MORTON ET AL KNITTING MACHINERY Filed Sept. 21, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 laientgd-Jsn. 10,1939 I l I 2,143,609

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE KNITTING MACHINERY James Morton, Robert Stewart Erskine Hannay,

and William Langston Coliingwood Carter, Carlisle, England, assignors to F. N. F. Limited, Oroydon, England, a British company Application September 21, 1937, Serial No. 164,968

In Great Britain January 7. 193'! 4 15 Claims. (UL 66-86) This invention relates to mechanisms for imrately without bouncing or chattering. It may parting to-and-fro motion, i. e., oscillating mobe said, therefore, that while cams have the adtion or reciprocating motion, to knitting units in mirable property of imparting the most irregular Warp knitting machines. Such units usually conmotions that can possibly be required, they are 5 sist of a row of knitting elements connected tounsuitable for use in knitting machines required gether by a bar, which supports them, but, in a to operate at high speeds, i. e., speeds of the order machine having bearded knitting needlesone of of five hundred rows of stitches per minute, and the knitting units is a, simple bar serving to close in certain cases as much as a thousand rows of the beards of the needles in order to permit the stitches a minute. Eccentrics, on the other casting off of the knitted loops. Thus, in a hand, can withstand considerably heavier loads 10 warp knitting machine having bearded needles than cams owing to the regularity of the motion there are a unit including a row of these needles, transmitted by them, and owing tothe extensive the unit consisting of the presser bar, a unit inbearing surfaces available. The periphery of the cluding a row of sinkers, and at least one unit eccentric sheave and the inner surface of the including one or more rows of warp guides. Each eccentric strap, of course, provide the extensive 15 of these units has to undergo to-and-fro motion bearing surfaces, which, owing to the even disand, particularly in the case of the needles,prestribution of the loads, are not liable to wear ser bar and sinkers, the motion has usually to be quickly, even at-high speeds. However, eccentrics of a very irregular nature. The adjective as hitherto used for the operation of knitting "irregu1ar, as applied to motion inthis speciflcaunits" in knitting machines have only been so I tion, is used to mean motion that departs pararranged to impart motions that are of a subtially or wholly from substantially simple har stantially simple harmonic nature. Furthermonic motion. 7 more, in a German patent of Niekamp, No.

In another type of warp knitting machine 489, 1 h s be p p to Operate a unit? suitable for operation at very high speeds, comprising a bar carrying a row of bearded 25 neither bearded needles nor a. presser bar is needles by means of two eccentrics arranged to used, but a unit including a. row of hooked needles rotate at different speeds, and connected to the is employed in conjunction with a unit including unit through themedium of mechanism which, a row of tongues arranged to undergo to-and-fro by integrating the motions due to the eccentrics,

motion relatively to the needles and, at points imparts an irregular motion to the needles. This 30 in that motion, to close the hooks of the needles. arrangement. how v r. h s he d dv n h .In this type of machine also, it is often desirable the integrating mechanism is not-entirely suitto impart irregular motion to one or more of able for operation at high speeds. Moreover, althe knitting units, particularly the sinkers, although irregular motions can be obtained by the though the needles and tongues can satisfactoruse of two or more eccentrics running at difier- 35 ily be driven by means of simple eccentrics which cut speeds, the range of motions obtainable is impart substantially simple harmonic motion. limited c p e w h the Practically infinite In this specification, the term eccentric is used ty of motions that can be Obtained y the to mean the combination of a sheave or disc, 11": of a cam.

40 mounted to rotate about an axis, passing through The invention aims at providing mechanisms, 40 the disc parallel with but not coincident with the including eccentrics, for operating the knitting axis of the sheave, and a surrounding strap conunits in a warp knitting machine that require nected with the part or parts to be operated. an irregular motion, and obtaining for such Hitherto, so far as we are aware, it has commechanisms the advantages ha are possessed 5 monly been the custom to employ cams for imby simple eccentric mechanisms.

parting to-and-fro motion to the knitting units One object of the invention is the combination in warp knitting machinesnzhenever that motion of a knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro mohas to be irregular. Cam mechanisms, however,- tion, an eccentric mounted for rotation, a memhave serious limitations so far as high speed ber operatively connected to be moved with suboperation is concerned, in that the loads on the stantially simple harmonic motion by said eccen- 5o cams become excessive at high speeds and cause trio, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro m0- serious wear. This undesirable characteristic tion, and a cam operative to impart irregular would be exaggerated at high speeds by the to-and-iro motion to said cam follower, said necessity for heavily oading the cam followers so member and said cam follower. being connected '55 i; m e em follow the cam co t u s acouwith said knitting unit so as to transmit to said 5 bination of a fro motion, an eccentric mounted for rotation,

I an operative. connection between said eccentric lower, whereby the said 30 I motion such as sinker, bearded needle and presser sisting of graphs illustrating separate and comand said knitting unit for transmitting motion from said eccentric to said knitting 'unit, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, and a cam for imparting irregular to-and-fro motion to said cam follower, the latter being operatively associated with said connection to modify'the motion'transmitted through said connection by said eccentric.

By virtue of the invention, the load is borne mainly by the eccentric. Accordingly, a further object of the invention is the combination of a knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro motion, an eccentric mounted for rotation, a member connected to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion; a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam mounted for rotation and operative to impart irregular to-and-fro motion tosaid cam follower, and mechanism interconnecting said knitting unit with said member and with said cam folknitting unit receives to-and-fro motion comprising the resultant of motions substantially corresponding to the motionsv of said connecting member andof said cam follower, said mechanism being arranged to impose a substantially greater load upon said eccentric than upon said cam.

The combinations according to the invention are therefore suitable for imparting to-and-fro motion which, while difi'ering considerably from simple harmonic motion does not result in. excessive loads upon the cam. The mechanisms may be applied to the operation of any of the knitting units in a warp knitting machine although they are particularly useful for the operation of those units that have to receive, or advantageously may receive, an irregular to-and-fro bar units. ,In the mechanisms the cam may be rotated at the same speed as the eccentric or the.

speed of one may be a multiple of thatof the other.

The invention furthercomprises the elements and combinations of parts set forth in the annexed claims. 7 Examples of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows mechanism for operating a bar carrying a series ofbearded needles;

Figure 2 shows mechanism for operating a presser bar;

Figure 3 shows sinker bar;

Figures4 and 5 show further forms of nisms for operating sinker bars;

mechanism for operating a mecha- Figures 6 and 7-show yet further forms of mechanisms; and

, Figures 8, 9, i0, 11 and 12 are diagrams conbined displacementsderived from eccentrics and cams such as included in mechanisms according to the preceding figures.

In each of Figuresl to 5 one set of parts including at least one eccentric, at least one cam and an associated lever system is shown, but it is to be understood that two or more such sets in amaeoo knitting machine.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the bar I carrying a series of bearded needles 2 is attached to the ends of lever arms 3 secured to a fulcrum shaft 4. Each arm 3 has fulcrumed to it at 5 a floating lever 6 which is pin-jointed at one end, at I, to an eccentric rod 8 and is connected at its other end by a link 9 to a camfollowing lever I freely fulcrumed on the fulcrum shaft 3. The eccentrics II to which the rods 8 are attached are mounted on an eccentric shaft I 2.. Each cam-following lever I0 has two rollers I3, one of which bears on a cam I4 and the other on a countercam I5, the cams i i, I

I4, I 5 are so designed that when the motion imparted by them is superposed, through the medium of the floating lever 6, upon the substantially simple harmonic motion derived from the eccentrics II, the resultant to-and-fro motion hi the needle bar includestwo pauses. One of these pauses occurs when the warp guides (not shown) .lap their warps on the hooks of the needles 2, and the other pause occurs when the presser I! acts upon the beards of the needles.

The sinker bar associated with the above described mechanism is indicated by I8.

Referring to Figure- 2 of the drawings, the presser bar to be operated comprises a. presser I9 carried by a series of sections made of a. light plastic material, such, for example, as a syn thetic resin, these sections being mounted side by side along a bar in the form of a steel strip 2i secured to levers 22 on a fulcrum shaft 23. Each lever 22 has fulcrumed at its end, at 24, a floating lever 25 which has its ends pin-jointed at 26 and 2'i respectively to an eccentric rod 28 and'to a connecting rod 29. The eccentrics 30, to which the rods 28 are attached; are mounted on an eccentric shaft 3|. Each connecting rod 29 is pin-jointed at 32 to a cam-following lever- 33 fulcrumed freely on the eccentric shaft 3|. Each cam-following lever 33 (as in the mechanism of Figure 1) has two rollers 34, one of which bears on a cam 35 and the other on a counter cam 36. The cams 35, 36 are mounted on a cam shaft 31 which is arranged to rotate at the same speed as the eccentric shaft 3|. The driving connection between the shafts 3| and 31 is shown diagrammatically to include a shaft I45 and pairs of bevel gears I46, I41 and I48, I49. The cams are so designed that during a period of the cycle of operations they act more or lessto can cel, or neutralize, the action of the eccentrics, and during another period the cams are inactive, i. e., impart no motion to their following levers 33, the eccentrics'then acting alone to impart a to-and-fro motion to the presser bar against the reaction of the cams. When the cams act to cancel the action of the eccentrics, the presser bar and parts rigid therewith are at rest, and therefore idle rocking of the cam-following levers 33 and floating levers 25 is the only work that the cams have'then to do.

The needle bar and sinker bar associated with this mechanism are respectively indicated by 38 and 39.

. Referring to Figure 3, the sinker structure to 45 is fulcrumed at 48, at

. 19. The bar pin-jointed at 41 and mounted on a cam speed as the main shaft 2,148,809 be operated comprises sections made of a light plastic material in which are embedded the sinkers 4I. These sections 40 are mounted side by side along a steel bar 42 secured to levers 48 secured to a fulcrum shaft 44. A floating lever the end of each lever 49, and the ends of each floating lever 45 are 48 respectively to an eccentric rod 49 and to a link 58 connected to a cam-following lever 5I. The eccentrics 52, to which the rods 48 are attached, are mounted on an eccentric shaft 53. The cam-following levers ii are fulcrumed freely on the fulcrum shaft 44,

each lever having a roller 54 which is engageable with a cam 55 and being urged to maintain contact therewith by a spring 56. These cams are 44 and associated parts being arranged substantially between the cam shaft and the eccentric shaft.

A turnbuckle 58 is incorporated in the eccentric rod 49' whereby adjustment in the effective length of the eccentric rod 49 and consequently in the position of the sinkers relative to the axis of the knitting zone can be made.

The eam shaft 51 is arranged to rotate at the same speed as the main shaft (not shown) of the knitting machine, and the eccentric shaft 53 at twice this speed. The driving connection between the shafts 59 and '51 is shown diagrammatically to include a. shaft I and pairs of bevel gears I5I, I52 and I58, I54. The cams are so designed that in one cycle of operations, the sinker bar receives a single quick advance movement and an almost immediate but much slower return motion. I

In the mechanism shown in Figure 4, the sinker bar to be oscillated similarly comprises light sections 59 of plastic material in'which are embedded the sinkers 50, these sections being mounted on a steel bar 8! secured to levers 52 secured to a fulcrum shaft 88.

The end of each lever 82 has fulcrumed on it at 4, a floating lever 85, and the ends of each floating lever are respectively pin-jointed to an eccentric rod 58 and to a connecting rod 81 which is connected to a cam-following lever 88. The cam-following levers are fulcrumed freely on the shaft 69 carrying the eccentrics 10 to which the rods 86 are attached, and each cam-following lever is fitted with a roller H which is maintained. in contact with a cam 12 by a spring 13.

The cams are mounted on a cam shaft 14,. The

cam shaft 14 is arranged to rotate at the same (not shown) of the knitting machine, and the eccentric shaft 59 is arranged to rotate 'at twice this speed. The driving connection between theshafts t9 and 14 is shown diagrammatically to include a shaft I and pairs of bevel gears I50, I51 and I58, I59.

The needle bar and presser associated with the mechanism described above are respectively indicated by 15 and I0. 7

In the mechanism shown in Figure 5, the sinker structure to beoperated again comprises light plastic sections 11 in which are'embedded the sinker-s 18 and which 19 is secured to an arm of each of a series of bell crank leverssecured to a single long floating" rock shaft 8|, or to a series of 7 short coaxial floating rock shafts, which are journalled in arms .82 secured to a fulcrum shaft ",the latter being journalled in a series 'of hearing brackets 84. In shaft, the bar 19 may be given additional support shaft 51, the fulcrum shaftare mounted on a steel bar the case ofa single rock r 3 by a series ,of levers 801! secured to said shaft. The other arm of each bell cranklever 80 is pinjointed at to the rod 88 of an eccentric 81. Cam-following levers 08 are secured to the fulcrum shaft 88, each of said levers having a roller 89 which is maintained in contact with a cam 90, forming one of a series, by means of a spring 9I. The eccentrics and cams are mounted on a common shaft 92 and consequently rotate at the same speed.

The needle bar and presser associated with the mechanism described above are respectively indicated by 93 and 94.

Inv operation, the rock shaft 8I receives rocking motions about its own axis from the eccentrics shaft 83 from the cams-90, these rocking motions combining to impart the desired to-and-fro motion to the sinker bar.

As a modification to the before-described mechanisms, the knitting part to. be oscillated may beoperated by a mechanism in which the motions imparted by two eccentrics and a cam are combined. One such modification is illustrated by Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 6, three shafts 95, 96 and 91 are geared together by gear wheels 98, 99 and I00, so that when one of the shafts is driven they rotate at speeds hearing the ratio 3:2:1. Eccentrics IOI and I02 are respectively mounted on the shafts and 96, and a cam I03 and countercam I04 are mounted on the shaft 91. The rod I05 of the eccentric I02 is pin-jointed at I06 to one end of a floating lever I01. The other end of the lever I01 is connected by a link I08 to a cam- 81 and also about the axis of the fulcrum following lever I09 which is fulcrumed freely on a fulcrum shaft H0 and has two rollers I I I bearing on the cam and countercam. The rod II2 of the eccentric I0 I is pin-jointed at H3 to one end of a second floating lever H4 and the other end of the lever H4 is pin-jointed at II5 to the lever I01. The lever H4 is in turn pin-jointed at Hi to a lever H1. The lever H1 is carried by a shaft 8 and is connected by rods II9 to a lever I20 secured to. a rock shaft I2I which is operatively connected to the knitting part (not shown) to be operated. The shafts III and I2I are J'ournalled in stationary bearings (not shown) and the knitting part is adisutable in position relative to the axis of the knitting zone by turnbuckles I22 on the rods H9.

The rock shaft I2I may, for example, be operatively connected to the warp guide bar, or warp guide bars, of the machine in the manner described in United States patent application, Serial No. 111,154, flied Nov. 16, 1936.

The motions due to the eccentric I02 and the cams I88, I04 are combined, and the resultant motion is further combined with the motion due to the eccentric III, the final resultant motion beingtransmitted to the knitting unit. Insuch an' arrangement, most of the work of operating the knitting unit can be done bythe two eccentrics, the work of the cam mainly comprising the correction or modification of the motion transmitted from the eccentrics to the knitting unit.

In order to impart additional load to the cams at a period when they would otherwise be lightly loaded with the object of lightening their load at a period when'they would otherwise be heavily loaded, a counter-weight may be included in the mechanism. A mechanism 7 including such a counter-weight is illustrated by Figure '1.

I eccentric rod I25.' The comprises an eccentric I28 which is mounted on a shaft I24 and has its rod I25 connected to a floating lever I26. A cam I2! and countercam I 28 are also mounted on the shaft I24 and are engageable with a cam-following lever I29 fitted with the usual rollers I30. The lever I29 is carried by a fulcrum shaft I3 I and is connected by a rod I32 to the lever I26. The lever I26 is operatively connected to the knitting unit to be operated, the operative connection, for example, including an arm on a rock shaft such as herein-, before described with reference to the rock shaft I2I according to Figured.

The mechanism according to Figure 7 would ordinarily be designed so that during an idle period of the knitting unit the cam acts simply to cancel the work of the eccentric and so that during a working period of the mechanism the cam serves as an abutment against which the floating lever I26 reacts while being actuated by the eccentric.

A counter-weight I34 is fitted to the lever I26 beyond its connection to the eccentric rod I25, and this arrangement has the effect of bringing the centre of percussion of the assembled masses to be operated into linev with, or more nearly into line with, the line of action of the efl'ect of such weighting is to add to the load of the cam throughout the idle period and to lighten its load proportionally throughout the working period.

In this example, conditions have been assumed which involve two extreme conditions, namely, employment of the cam completely to cancel the work of the eccentric and the employment of the cam solely to react while the eccentric does all the work. It will be manifest that the application of weight to adjust theloading of the cam relatively to the eccentrics can be resorted to'in any may be provided at one mechanism involving conditions between these extremes. r

As applied to the operation a set of mechanism as shown in Figures 6 or 7 or at both ends of the rock shaft concerned.

Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 give examples of graphs of displacements desirable in operation of a bearded needle bar, of I sinker bar and of a presser bar for bearded needles. In each of these figures, graph it represents the displacement imparted by a cam, graph b the displacement imparted by an eccentric and graph c the displacement resulting from the combination of displacements a and b, i. e., the resultant or compounded displacement derived from a mechanism including a cam and eccentric arranged according to the present invention. The graphs are drawn on a base representative of the angular displacement of themain shaft of the knitting machine.

In each of Figures 8 and 11, the mechanism represented is such that the cam and eccentric rotate at the same speed. In each of Figures 9 and 10, the mechanism representedis such that the cam rotates at the same speed as the main but they may instead be inbefore described and of warp guide bars two different forms of amaeoa systems.

The eccentrics used in any of theforegoing examples are of the type in which each sheave presents a cylindrical bearing surface-to its strap,

ball or roller bearing is interposed between each sheave and strap.

In the hereinbefore described mechanism the cams may act simply to cancel the action of the eccentrics and the eccentrics may do all the work of operating the knitting part concerned. Nevertheless, the arrangement may instead be such that the-cam undertake a minor share of such work. For example, the cams may impart a comparatively low force throughout a distance the same as the travel of the unit operated by the mechanism (this being especially applicable to operation of the sinker bar), or the cams may impart a greater force throughout a fraction of such distance through motion-multiplying lever means (this being especially applicable to the operation of a presser bar and a bearded needle bar). I

Although in several of the mechanisms hereshown in the drawings spring-urged cam-following levers are included and in others of these mechanisms cam-following levers associated withcounter-cams are included, it is to be understood that the one form of cam-following lever may be substituted for the other in any mechanism and that any other formof cam mechanism may be employed instead.

We claim:

1. In a warp-knitting machine, a knitting unit, a pivotally-mounted member carrying said knitting unit, an intermediate member pivotally connected to said carrying member, an eccentric mounted for rotation, a ,connecting member adapted to be moved to-and-fro with substantially simple harmonic motion by said eccentric and pivotally connected at one point to said intermediate member, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, and a cam mounted for rotation and adapted to impart irregular to-and-fro motion to said cam follower, said cam follower being pivotally connected at a second point to said intermediate member and operative in association with said connecting member to impart, through said intermediate member, oscillating motion to said carrying in member and of said cam follower.

2. In a warp knitting machine. the combina-' tion of a. knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro motion, a. shaft mounted for rotation, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a member connected to. be moved by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, for rotation, a driving connection between said shafts whereby the rotational speed of one of -said shafts is a multiple of that of the other of said shafts, a cam follower mounted for toand-fro motion, a cam mounted on said second shaft and adapted to impart to said cam follower irregular to-and-fro motion, and a member pivotally connecting said knitting unit with a second shaft mounted.

of the type in which a ember substantially corresponding to the resultant of the motions of said connecting aisacoo said cam follower and with said member whereby said knitting unit receives to-and-iro motion comprising the resultant of motions that substantially correspond to the motions of said member and of said cam follower.

3. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a knitting unit mounted to undergo t0-. and-fro motion, an eccentric mounted for rotation about an axis, a cam follower mounted for oscillation about said axis, a cam mounted for rotation about a second axis and arranged to impart irregular oscillating motion to said cam follower, a member connected to receive substantially simple harmonic motion from said eccentrio, and afloating link operatively connecting said knitting unit with said cam follower and with said member and adapted to transmit motion derived jointly from said-eccentric and from said cam'follower.

4. In a warp knitting machine having a knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro motion, combination of an eccentric mounted for rotation about an axis, a member adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a cam follower mounted for toc and-fro motion, a cam operative to impart irregularto-and-fro motion to said cam follower, and a linkage, including a weighted lever, interconnecting said member and said cam follower and arranged to transmit to said knitting unit cyclic movement comprising the result of the motions of said'member and of said cam follower, said weighted lever being operative to increase the load on said cam in one period in the cycle of movement and to reduce that load in another period in that cycle.

5. In a warp knitting machine having a knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro motion, the combination of an eccentrlcmounted for rotation, a member-adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam adapted to impart irregular to-andfro motion to said cam follower, a lever, procombination of vided with a weight, pivoted at a point on one side of said weight to said member and pivotally connected to said cam follower at a point on the side of said first-mentioned point remote from said weight, and a link pivoted to said lever at a point located between the aforementioned points for transmitting to-and-fro motion to the knitting unit. I

6. In a warp knitting machine having a knitting unit arranged to undergo to-and-fro motion,

. the combination of an eccentric mounted for rotation, a member arranged to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam adapted to impart irregular to-andfro motion to said cam follower, and a linkage interconnecting said member and said cam follower for integrating the motions ofsaid member and said cam follower and transmitting the integrated motion to the knitting unit, said link- .age including a weighted lever disposed so that the centre of percussion of the masses, including said linkage and the knitting unit, is substantially in line with the line of action of said memher. i

'7. In a warp knitting machine having a knitting unit mounted for an eccentric mounted for rotation, a member adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a second eccentric mounted for rotetioma the V one point,

and to said knitting ulnt at a point between said two points and nearer to said first-mentioned comprising the mounted for to-and-fro motion, a

to-and-fro motion, the I and means operatively with said cam follower and adapted to to the knitting unit ing the resultant of motions substantially corresponding to the motions of said two members and of said cam follower.

8. In a warp knitting machine having a knitting unit arranged to undergo to-and-fro motion, an eccentric mounted for rotation about an axis, a member connected to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic moa. second eccentric mounted for rotation tion, about a second axis, a second member connected to be driven by said second eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam mounted to rotate abouta third axis and adapted to impart ,to-and-fro motion to said cam follower, driving connections between said eccentrics and between one of said eccentrics and said cam whereby said ec centrics and said cam are rotated simultaneously at different speeds, and a linkage interconnecting said members and said cam follower for integrating the motions thereof and transmitting the integrated motion to the knitting unit.

9. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a knitting unit mounted for to-and-fro motion, an eccentric mounted for rotation, a member adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a cam regular to-and-fro motion to said cam follower to-and-fro motion comprisfollower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam v mounted for rotation and operative to impart irregular to-and-fro motion to said cam follower, and a link pivotally connected to said member at to said cam follower at a second point,

point than to said second-mentioned point whereby said knitting unit receives to-and-fro motion resultant of motions that substantially correspond to the motions of said member and of said cam follower, said mechanismbeing arranged to impose a substantially greater load upon said eccentric than upon said cam.

10. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a knitting unit including a bar and a row of sinkers mounted on said bar. ashaft mounted for rotation, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a member connected to be moved by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a second shaft mounted for rotation, a driving connection between said shafts whereby the rotational speed of said first-mentioned shaft to twice that of the second of said shafts, a cam follower cam mounted on said second shaft and adapted to impart to said cam follower irregular 'to-and-fro motion, and means operatively connecting said bar with said cam follower and with said member, whereby said sinkers receive to-and-fro motion comprising the resultant of motions that substantially corre- 'spond to the motions of said member and of said of sinkers mounted on said bar, a shaft mounted for rotation, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a connecting member arranged to be moved by,

said eccentric, with substantially simple harmonic -member pivoted to said lever and pivotally connected to said connecting member and to said cam follower.

12. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a knitting unit including a bar and a row of bearded needles mounted on said bar, a shaft mounted for' rotation, an eccentric fixed to said shaft, a member adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a second shaft mounted for rotation, a driving connection between said shafts whereby said shafts are rotated at equal speeds, a cam follower mounted for to-and-fro motion, a cam fixed to said second shaft and adapted to impart to said cam follower irregular to-and-fro motion, and a floating link operatively connecting said bar with said cam follower and with said member whereby said knitting unit receives to-and-fro motion comprising the resultant of motions that substantially correspond to the motions of saidmember and of said cam follower.

13. In a warp knitting machine having-bearded needles, the combination of a knitting unit comprising a presser bar for closing the beards of the needles, a shaft mounted for rotation, an eccentric fixed to said shaft, a member adapted to be driven by said eccentric with substantially simple harmonic motion, a second shaft mounted for rotation, a driving connection between said shafts whereby said shafts are rotated at equal speeds,

to-and-fro motion, a

a cam follower mounted for cam fixed to said second shaft aind adapted to impart to'said cam follower irregular tp-and-fro motion, and a floating link connecting said presser bar member whereby said knitting unit receives toand-fro motion comprising the resultant of motions that substantially correspond to the motions of said member and of said cam follower.

14..In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a circular eccentric mounted for rotation, a strap embracing said eccentric, a non-circular cam, a follower for said cam, means for driving said eccentric and said cam continuously and simultaneously, an intermediate member pivotally connected at one point to said strap and at another point to said follower, and a knitting'unit pivotally connected to said intermediate member so. as to derive motion therefrom which is a. resultant of the motion imparted by said eccentric to said strap and by said cam to said follower.

15. Mechanism for imparting an irregular toand-fro motion to a knitting unit in a warp knitting machine, said mechanism comprising in combination a circular eccentric mounted for rotation, a strap embracing, said eccentric, a cam mounted for rotation, a follower for said cam, means for driving said eccentric and said cam continuously and simultaneously.. and an intermediate fioating lever pivotally connected at three points respectively to said strap, said follower, and the knitting unit.

JAMES MORTON.

ROBERT STEWART COLLINGWOOD CARTER.

with said cam follower and with said 

